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Wednesday, November 20, 2013
From the very beginning, it became clear why so many people enjoy hearing his music, and why he might fling fans off his stage as seen on various YouTube videos.
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ARTIST(S): Action Bronson
ALBUM: Blue Chips 2
So, this is our first review on one of the most currently talked about emcees in the market. Known for his similarity to Ghostface, it became very obvious this guy was definitely an emcee who stood on his own regardless of what his voice and cadence resembled. From the very beginning, it became clear why so many people enjoy hearing his music, and why he might fling fans off his stage as seen on various YouTube videos.
His delivery is one of his greatest strengths, and the listener can feel this from the very first track of the project. He jumps off SILVERADO with a strong tone proclaiming "this is a grown man sport," and continues bodying beats track after track.
Some slick talk from Big Body Bes makes the intro and interludes entertaining and comical, while he continues to hammer out bars track after track. Honestly, this is a project for those who enjoy the wordplay and menacing lyrics of hardcore emcees. His ability to adapt to any beat and make it a masterpiece of lyrical onslaught is absolutely undeniable.
A few of the tracks have some pretty slick instrumentals and samples of saxophones in IT CONCERNS ME and FLIP YA. Additionally, you will find a few moments in the project where it's strictly acapella.
As with many projects, there are some downsides to this project, and we would be amiss if we didn't point out some of those flaws. JACKSON TRAVOLTA was worth a listen, but the mix on the lows was a bit too high and it Mayhem's delivery didn't really fill the beat well after hearing Bronson go in on the track. Vocals were a bit too low and the guitar riff needed to be in the forefront a bit more on the instrumental mix.
While the project was definitely lyrically ingenious, it did get a bit monotonous toward the end and made it hard to get through the whole album without feeling mentally exhausted. It would have been nice to have some more upbeat tracks with some simpler punchlines. It never hurts to give your audience a quick break from what they expect to hear if done correctly.
Some of the production on tracks like TWIN PEUGOTS and MAN THE MIRROR, and MIDGET COUGH seemed to drag on without much variation. This definitely made it easier to catch the thoughtful wordplay, but it took away the impact these tracks could have had.
Overall, this project was solid. One of the best we have done in a while, and we are looking forward to hearing more from this Queens native. If you haven't jumped on the Bronson wagon yet, you might want to give Blue Chips 2 a listen and see what you have been missing out on.
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Friday, November 11, 2011
Tampa has a host of talented individuals and crews that bless its Hip Hop scene, but few that have the unique blend of sounds that The Rukus brings to the table.
Artist(s): The Rukus
Mixtape: The Patience Project (2011)
Overall Rating: 
Tampa has a host of talented individuals and crews that bless its Hip Hop scene, but few that have the unique blend of sounds that The Rukus brings to the table. Made up of KeithElite, Rude and DJ Blenda; this trio has released their latest project titled, THE PATIENCE PROJECT; which featured a blend of original production, DJ cuts and features from some notable artists.
Starting off the project, they definitely show a lot of love and get all the shouts out of the way in track one. Many of Tampa's artists, DJ's and promoters will find their names on that long list of shout outs and then off to the music it goes.
With a strong message on "The Break's Over," The Rukus expresses their feelings about the current state of artistry today, and their current contribution to lyricism and substance in music. While the mix is not what it probably should have been, the production and lyrics definitely make up for it. This resonates throughout the project, but there were definitely some tracks worth a serious recommendation.
Tracks like "Days Fly By," featuring Geno and Sen-C give a great nostalgic feel with relevant content on how life moves so quickly by. "The Banger," featuring Mike Mass and Dynasty is by far one of the best tracks on the project. It is worth some mention that Mike Mass' verse was probably one of the strongest on this track and contributed to its feel in a considerable way.
One of their single tracks currently being pushed, "A Song for the People" could best be described as pure quality music. This track definitely epitomized the concept of making music and not just Rap. The feel of this song is inspiring and moving at the same time. "Amazin'" was by far the best track on the whole project, featuring the strong content of Jinx and E-Digga; it could possibly snap the rewind button and make a few listeners make use of their warranty services.
Just like every project, there were some down sides to this project as well. Overall, the mixes on the tracks are what hurt the ratings a bit. Tracks like "Where We At Now" and "Hands High" could have used a bit more balancing between vocal and beat frequencies on the EQ. "Too Easy," though picking up after the first verse did not begin strong enough. Additionally, the closing track, "Show's Over" was actually a great track, but probably was not the strongest end to the project even though it was intended for this very purpose.
Overall, this album is a must have for those individuals who enjoy something different, but VERY MUCH culture music. The features are strong, the production definitely exemplifies quality - but the mixes will need to be better on the next project. If they can make that happen; there's no denying this team will push ahead in the coming years with some epic music.
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Tuesday, October 18, 2011
If you thought lyricism and horror-core rap was something of the past, you obviously haven't heard the Da Goldminers latest LP, THE GOLDEN ERA.
Artist(s): Da Goldminerz
Mixtape: The Golden Era (2011)
Overall Rating:
If you thought lyricism and horror-core rap was something of the past, you obviously haven't heard the Da Goldminers latest LP, THE GOLDEN ERA. Hailing out of the Tampa, FL area, by way of that up north feel; they bring a dynamic face to the once underground scene that flourished back in the 90's. With a new twist in production by Simon Roofless, the team goes in on what most lovers of lyricism will find to be a haven of poetic ingenuity.
Opening the album with the eerie story plot of aliens who invade earth for interludes; the listener already can catch a small hint of what's up and coming. What every listener who doesn't know this crew will NOT be ready for is the array of lyrics that will be thrown at them throughout the rest of this album.
From the beginning of the album, "In the Flesh" starts it off with a blend of lyrics and a heavy beat that Roofless is known well for. "What You Gonna Do" is reminiscent of a mix between CELLA DWELLAS and GRAVEDIGGAZ; and for those who know those two old school crews, it will become glaringly obvious that this is definitely not your average Tampa crew.
Some stand out tracks on this album were "Pick Axez" that was a definite REPLAY track. While "The Plan" doesn't have the strongest start to it, it quickly picks up the pace with dangerous wordplay and one of those hooks that told its own story like emcees used to do. While the production mix was not what I would have preferred, "Keep Shit Raw" still did its justice in lyrics. "Historical" was definitely the perfect outro track to the album. Here's some quotable for readers to chew on.
| "Precise aim with the slingshot and rock / pop your emperor and skate with the book of Enoch / we roll up on you niggaz like a gang of ewoks / I'm hip hop, Timbs and Adidas, no Nikes and Reeboks" - Simon Roofless from "Keep Shit Raw" |
"End of this coming with a disasterous knock / it's the madness wit the shock causing strains to your voicebox / order more shots than clientele to bartenders / I send ya to the end of the year, like your stuck in december" - Duh Nokah from "Historical" |
While the production is unquestionably professional and clean, there is a hint of mixing that lacks in the production specifically. While the old school sound is almost undeniably concentrated on lyrics, the need for some of those background sounds like the FLUTE and STRUMMING on "Killin Senses;" or the background sounds on "Starvin Artists;" and the weightier sounds on "Inception" would have definitely made it sound a bit more impactful overall.
In conclusion, if you are LYRICISM FAN, you will definitely enjoy this album. If you're looking to shake your ass to some club music that you would hear on commercial radio, you might as well keep it moving. This is an album made SPECIFICALLY for the Hip Hop heads that enjoy substance and storyline music.
CD AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE!
Due to overwhelming bootlegging, Da GoldMinerz has decided to keep their copies strictly on the physical CD level. You can purchase a copy on their official website.
SUPPORT HIP HOP CULTURE AND STOP STEALING MUSIC!!!
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Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Y'all have heard of Watchmen by now, so you should know the emcee they call PRO. His lyrical ability is undeniable, much like the rest of the crew, and he has now released a new album called, I NEED THERAPY.
Artist(s): PRO
Album Name: I Need Therapy
Year of Release: 2011
Y'all have heard of Watchmen by now, so you should know the emcee they call PRO. His lyrical ability is undeniable, much like the rest of the crew, and he has now released a new album called, I NEED THERAPY; which for the most part feeds that inner-lyrical person that enjoyed the sounds of Rakim, Wu and the like. This album, though not as strong as I had hoped for was indeed a good listen.
The intro titled, "Dark Passenger" lives up to its name with the creepy intro; and when PRO begins rhyming, you almost feel like your listening to 90's Rakim. That is not to say it's a bad thing because lyrically, the talent is most definitely there.
One thing that was very clear is that PRO was attempting to paint a lot of stories throughout this album, and he does very well with tracks like "Where" and "Sunshine" that includes singing vocals. Most of the feel for these tracks is deep and soul-ish. It was definitely NOT what I expected to hear, but I kind of enjoyed the fact that it was different, and I appreciated the range of music he implemented into the production. Tracks like "The Truth", "GO" and "Dangerous" were definitely REWIND WORTHY tracks, so be sure not to miss listening to those on the album.
Overall, the Mix on this album was pretty good. Tracks like "The Truth" had some smooth lows, and overall the blends of frequencies were very clean. You can hear a VERY GOOD separation of sounds in the track called "Where".
There weren't a lot of downers in this album, but a few key points to work on that dropped the score a little. "Encontramos" was a good track to bring the bilingual hook, but the delivery could have been a bit smoother on this one to match with the beat. His delivery was great for what it was, but this track needed something with a little less attach on the delivery. "I Will" was not as impressive as it could have been with a better mix on the higher end frequencies.
For those who like LYRICS, this is a GREAT ALBUM and serves its purpose well. For those who are looking for something a little out of the box, it may be a hit and miss for you.
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Friday, March 4, 2011
So, if you are from the bay area, you have probably heard ABOUT or heard Gemstar DIRECTLY. His talent is undeniable, and the young emcee hailing from Long Island; now residing in Florida, has definitely shown his ability to push past the common music of radio.
Artist(s): Gemstar
Album Name: Lessons of Life, The Mixtape
Year of Release: 2011
So, if you are from the bay area, you have probably heard ABOUT or heard Gemstar DIRECTLY. His talent is undeniable, and the young emcee hailing from Long Island; now residing in Florida, has definitely shown his ability to push past the common music of radio. In this latest release, LESSONS OF LIFE, THE MIXTAPE; Gem attempts to portray some "Real Life" content into his music, which actually makes his music extremely relevant to most everyday people.
The opening to the mixtape starts off well with an upbeat tempo that works perfect with Gemstar's flow. It's obvious from the first track that he is definitely comfortable with his own delivery. As the mixtape goes on, there seems to be recurring theme of singing hooks and bridges along with lyrical prowess on the verses.
Quite honestly, the singing is a bit much on some tracks like "Let Go" and "Call Me", but he makes up for it in some tracks like "Got No Home". It's obvious his style mixes in some singing and rapping, but for the most part he's going to want to tighten that up a bit more especially on the tracks that are a bit more dynamic in vocal ranges.
Other than that - this album is simply QUALITY! The range of music and mixture of sounds and style make this album one of the regular rotation. Some HEAT TRACKS to keep an ear out for are "Sent to Me" which has a GREAT MIX and separation of sounds. "Antidote" which features Kensta Lopez is also a great listen as well, with its "FEED YOUR MIND" lyrics. "Call Me" is a great track for the women, and while the guitar is a slight bit grunged out for this feel, it's not too heavy to still enjoy this track.
Overall this album was a keeper, and we look forward to hearing MORE of Gemstar's contribution to the Hip Hop game. Maybe a little ease off the singing tip and letting other people do that, or maybe work some more on the vocal trainings, and GEM will most definitely have a GEM of talent as his arsenal. He's already a HOT TOPIC, so DON'T SLEEP on a GREAT ARTIST!
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Thursday, January 13, 2011
Every team has their strength and the Watchmen show their lyrical abilities in this latest release, POWER.
Artist(s):Watchmen
Album Name: Power
Year of Release: 2010
Every team has their strength and the Watchmen show their lyrical abilities in this latest release, POWER. While this release is not as strong of a release as the previous, it would be best to keep in mind that this album comprises of the group's previous non-released tracks from 2006. With a sound a bit more basement than the more current quality of tracks we are used to hearing them on, it provides fans with a bit of a background on how exactly this team developed through the years.
The main thing anyone will realize when hearing this album is that the mixes and production are not very strong in respects to quality, but the lyrics are clearly ingenious. The intro of the album provides eerie pipe organ sounds with cuts of various phrases of lyrics that make it clear this crew is about their emcee game. Tracks like "Bloody Palm" with its classic WU feel, and "Final Hour" with its consistent array of metaphors and similes make it easy to see why WU MANAGEMENT would have picked them up. Again, the mixes are what really hurt this project on tracks like "Dishonor," where the hook completely out-leveled the verses.
One track that is worth mention is "Everyone of Us" that hailed some of the best lyrics with verses like, "You takin' it all in vain / I'm breakin' this ball & chain / You fakin' to stay the same / I'm rakin' against the grain." This track was a definite replay and if they revisited this track with a better mix and some updated vocals to bring that WOW factor into play, it would be a hot classic.
The title track "POWER" was a good feel, though could have used more variety in rhythms, and "Torcher Chamber" ended in the album with considerable force.
Overall, despite the mix and production needs, this was a good album to bring fans back into the previous years of Watchmen. If nothing else, it shows how far they have come since then, and makes a person wonder what they are about ready to bring with the newer releases in the near future.
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Sunday, January 2, 2011
For those who are not familiar with Cambatta and his lyrical content, the latest album, Visionary 2 will serve as a quick reminder that there are still relevant artists in the Florida scene.
Artist(s):Cambatta
Album Name: Visionary 2
Year of Release: 2010
For those who are not familiar with Cambatta and his lyrical content, the latest album, Visionary 2 will serve as a quick reminder that there are still relevant artists in the Florida scene. Cambatta mixes his ability to weave lyrical content into everyday experiences; and makes a definite mark on the Hip Hop scene with this latest addition.
From the start of the album with "The Re-Introduction," he create the very feel Hip Hop is known for, while shooting off lyrics like, "These are visual statements, as far as that pop shit, I have minimal patience / it feels like the end of a civilization, and I'm the only nigga escapin'" to leave the listener even FURTHER interested in hearing more.
Tracks that DEFINITELY stand out a lot on this album, which are far more than just the average two gems in most album are: "On My Way," which seperates Cambatta from the stereotypical rapper; "Unstoppable Bullet," which tells a strong message; "Light it UP," with a feature from LAWS of Justice League; and "Green Light," which describes the double-edged character of money and our need for it.
While there's not much bad to say about this album, there were some slightly low points to the overall album. Tracks like "Stoopid" could have been mixed a bit better with the sample used to make it sound clearer; "Right Back At You" wasn't too impressive compared to the other tracks around it, but the singing was nice; and "Don't Blame Me," which could have used a little more work on the hook to make it stand out a bit more.
Overall, this album was HEAT!!!! This one is a definite MUST HAVE in the collection of raw Hip Hop music. Anyone who ever doubted Cambatta's ability on the mic should definitely give this download a try. Don't miss the track, "Good Ol' Days" if you come from that Golden Age of Hip Hop. You will DEFINITELY RELATE to this!
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Thursday, December 23, 2010
Aych's ability to cross over both radio and indie genres is undeniable, and his dedication is even more proven than his talent. THE CURE II is no exception to that track record.
Artist(s): Aych
Album Name: The Cure II
Year of Release: 2010
Overall Rating:
Aych's ability to cross over both radio and indie genres is undeniable, and his dedication is even more proven than his talent. This makes him a definite moving force all within himself, and his latest release, THE CURE II, is no exception to that track record.
The album starts off with a good feel on J. Rusch's production for the intro, where Aych tells them to "Call on" him when they get tired of the nonsense we hear so much. This feel is pretty much the angle where Aych leads most of the album, which is a bit of SOUL mixed with various styles to portray the heart of the artist they call AYCH.
Some of the tracks on this album are SERIOUS REPEAT TRACKS! The one that is worth MUCH mention is "Live'N That Life" featuring AJA Lorraine. This song is seriously a CLASSIC and was stuck on my repeat for about a good 20 minutes the first time I listened. This is undeniable REAL LIFE content.
Immediately following that track is "Letter to My Pop," which shows an even deeper side to Aych. There is no doubt he left himself in the studio the night he recorded it. The dynamic in a son's view of his father was adequately explained when he states, "Never showin' up was some shit I got used to / but that's some bullshit kids should never get used to."
Some of the other tracks to pay attention to would be "Change" featuring Triple X and "Somethin' Special" featuring Dynasty. His dedication to showing various sides of his real life persona is obvious enough to command the respect of other artists.
Now, in ALL the good things to say about this album, there were equally as many points of lows to it with tracks like "Ready for the World" which lacked a bit more on the vocalist end and didn't engage the listener as well. "I'm So Fly" really wasn't too fly at all with all the features, and some of the low ends on the mix seemed to be lacking a bit as well.
Tracks like "U Know My Name" lacked a bit on the production end, even though the lyrics themselves were pretty well planned out. And tracks like "The Come Up" were a bit too repetitive on the hook for my taste. There was a little bit more of that on the hooks than I would have liked throughout the album, but it only really hurt a few tracks along the way.
If you haven't copped it already, peep out Aych's, The Cure II and GET THERAPEUTIC!
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Thursday, October 21, 2010
G.O.O.D. Music's new recruit Cyhi the Prynce is showing his royal status in hip hop with his new mixtape, Royal Flush.
Artist(s): Cyhi Da Prynce
Album Name: Royal Flush Mixtape
Year of Release: 2010
With a guest appearance on Kanye West's giveaway track "So Appalled" and the BET G.O.O.D. Music Cypher. G.O.O.D. Music's new recruit Cyhi the Prynce is showing his royal status in hip hop with his new mixtape "Royal Flush". Cyhi has a great lyrical delivery and catchy hooks. The album also includes the productions of the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Kane Beatz, Drumma Boy, and more. The Atlanta MC is ready to take over the Hip Hop industry.
The album starts off with "Ring Bells", which uses the famous speech "I have a dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The track sets the mood for the Royal Flush mixtape and takes the listener into the lyrical spectrum of Cyhi. Cyhi street story telling swagger in "Bunch of Rounds" lets it be known that he will not hesitate to put people in their place.
Kane Beatz produced the track "Never Again", Where Cyhi expresses the trials and tribulations of his life. He teaches the errors of his ways and expectations of never having to return to that life.
Cyhi continues to speak on past mistakes and taking a different route in life with the Anita Baker sample on "Hear Me Out." Cyhi da Prynce also lets the ladies know that he is looking for love in "Can't Find Love" with a laid back R&B feel.
The Royal Flush mixtape covers all different aspects of Cyhi's personality. From Cyhi's: street music story-telling, motivational speaker, his love for the ladies and club music. Cyhi da Prynce's Royal Flush mixtape is a great listening from beginning to end. G.O.O.D. music has added another great addition to its roster with Cyhi.
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